EXCEPT, WITHOUT, UNLESS. 14.  I do not know how my horse got away ——­ somebody untied him. 15.  Do not come ——­ you hear from me. 16.  I will not go ——­ father is willing. 17.  I will not go ——­ father’s consent. 18. ——­ you study better, you will be dropped. 19.  It will be cool to-morrow ——­ a hot wave comes. 20.  I cannot go ——­ money. 21.  I cannot go ——­ father sends me some money. 22.  I will be there promptly ——­ I hear from you. 23.  Do not write ——­ you feel in the mood for it. 24.  She has no fault ——­ diffidence. 25.  She has no fault ——­ it be diffidence. 26.  He cannot enlist ——­ with his guardian’s consent.

MISUSED CONJUNCTIONS.[143]—­Conjunctions are few in number and are more definite in their meanings than prepositions.  Most errors in using them spring from confused thinking or hasty writing.  “A close reasoner and a good writer in general may be known by his pertinent use of connectives."[144]

AND.—­And has, generally speaking, the meaning of “in addition to.”

BUT.—­But implies some exception, opposition, or contrast.  Equivalent, or nearly equivalent, expressions are “however,” “on the other hand,” “yet,” “nevertheless.”

AS.—­“As has so many meanings that it is better, when possible, to use a conjunction that covers less ground."[145]

BECAUSE, FOR, SINCE.—­The difference between these words is chiefly a difference in emphasis.  “We will not go, because it is raining” is the strongest way of expressing the relation of cause and effect.  In “Since it is raining, we will not go,” the emphasis is shifted from the cause to the effect, which becomes the prominent idea.  In “We will not go, for it is raining,” the reason, “it is raining,” is announced as itself a bit of news.  Often the choice between these words is decided by the ear.

HOW.—­How properly means “in what manner” or “to what extent.”  It is often misused for “that” to introduce an object clause.

NOR, OR.—­Nor is the correlative of neither, sometimes of other negatives. Or is the correlative of either.

THEREFORE, SO.—­In the sense of “for this reason,” therefore is preferable to so, since so has other meanings.

THOUGH.—­Though means “notwithstanding,” “in spite of the fact that.”

AS IF, AS THOUGH.—­“As if is, on the whole, preferable to as though."[146]

WHEN, WHILE.—­When means “at the time that;” while, “during the time that,” “as long as.” “When fixes attention on a date or period; while fixes attention on the lapse of time."[147]

[143] “Foundations,” p.152. [144] Coleridge:  Table Talk.  Quoted by A.S.  Hill in Principles of Rhetoric. [145] “Foundations,” p. 153. [146] “Foundations,” p. 156. [147] Ibid., p. 157.

EXERCISE LXXXVII.